What You Need to Know August 31

This will be the second installment of " What You Need to Know" this week. For those that know this is my summer series where I run down a whole bunch of news/stories/rumours that have taken place in the NHL or will impact the NHL over the last week. Here we go:

• Players un-happy with NHL's second offer

It (the NHL proposal) was a pig with lipstick on, instead of a pig.'' ~Red Wings Dan Cleary

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman had stated after that "Substantial differences" had been implemented in the leagues second proposal to the players. The second proposal would see the players percent of the pie rise to 46 but add that a percentage of players salaries would go towards escrow. The tone from the players after looking over the proposal was pretty negative, some even went on to say "Bettman is adamant on his third lockout".

The two sides met again today and the NHLPA was expected to present their changes to the league second proposal.

• Oilers lock up another young stall in Eberle

Shortly after his best friend both on and off the ice Taylor Hall signed his deal with the Oilers, Jordan Eberle signed on the dotted line. The Oilers and Eberle agreed to a 6 year deal worth $36 million.

"Obviously I'm pretty excited, with Taylor getting his done last week, I was pretty anxious. I'm happy to be an Oiler ... and I think with the direction the team's going it's pretty obvious that there's a lot of excitement level around Edmonton and throughout our locker room."

Heck for $36 million, I'd be happy to be an Oiler too! This is a great signing both for Eberle and the Oilers as they help lock up another key member of their core going forward. Eberle has 52 goals and 67 assists in 147 games with the Oilers.

• Bogosian on the shelf 4-6 months

The Winnipeg Jets will be without the services of defenceman Zach Bogosian for the next 4-6 months after he underwent a successful surgery on his right wrist. The surgery was to repair a torn ligament in his wrist.

• Top prospect for Wild goes wild and breaks his leg

Mario Lucia one of the top prospects for the Minnesota Wild broke his right fibula and tore ligaments in his ankle when a teammate fell on him at practice. The injury will likely result in Lucia missing the first three months of his freshman year at Notre Dame. The Wild took Lucia in the second round in the 2011 draft and is thought of to be in the top 10 of up and coming Wild prospects.

"Hopefully I'll get back quicker than three months, but I'm in a cast for seven weeks, so there's not much I can do about that."

• Roy recovering well from shoulder surgery

Sticking with the injury news, Derek Roy is eyeing a return to the Dallas Stars in November. After being traded from the Buffalo Sabres to the Dallas Stars this offseason Roy underwent shoulder surgery to fix an ailing injury. Roy will soon be getting back on the ice and is looking forward to joining his new teammates;

"I haven’t skated in a while, I am going to start skating in three weeks or a month, and get that back up to speed, keep rehabbing the shoulder and move forward."

Roy managed 44 points in 80 games which resulted in a disappointing season with the Sabres. The Stars are hoping that he will be able to up that production now that he fixed his shoulder.

• More  star players heading overseas

While nothing yet is official (and wont be until after September 15th) players are starting to look for other places to play next season. In Monday's edition I mentioned the Ovechkin has been in contact with the KHL and this past week his lawyer flew over to talk about a possible contract. Even worse news for fans if the lockout goes past December fans can expect to see the golden boy Sidney Crosby head overseas. Crosby's agent said if the NHL remains on strike into late December Crosby will indeed look for other options overseas. Crosby's teammate Evgeni Malkin will also be heading overseas if a lockout is imminent. On top of that the KHL president has said he is "Prepared to welcome all locked out NHLers, the gate is wide open". Speaking as a NHL fan *gulp*

• Turris resigns after a fresh start in Ottawa

After being labelled as a player who didn't try hard and would quit on a team when he wanted out, Kyle Turris was traded to the Ottawa Senators and found a new home at the end of last season. Now it appears he'll be making Ottawa his home for the foreseeable future. The Senators and Turris agreed to a 5 year contract extension that will see him stay in the nation's capital through the 2017-2018 season.

"I'm really excited, I love it here in Ottawa. I love being part of the organization and the people in it and the hockey team we have here. I'm really looking forward to being here the next six years, and hopefully past that. I knew at the end of the year that this was the place I wanted to be, and I wanted to be for a long time. I love the city. I love everything about it."

 

• Rene Bourque to miss 8-12 weeks

More injury news to report, the Montreal Canadiens Rene Bourque will be out for the next 8-12 weeks after surgery to repair a wall in his abdomin that collapsed during training.

That will do it for the stories from the past week.

NHL Presents 2nd Offer

 

The CBA negotiating saga is still ongoing and with roughly 19 days left till the September 15th deadline the NHL has finally submitted to the NHLPA their 2nd offer. Only hitch, there really isn't anything new in the offer.

As much as people don't like Gary Bettman you have to give credit where credit is do. He's not stupid, he's a lawyer and he doesn't like to lose. Instead of catering to the NHLPA's demands with his second offer he decided to "re-arrange" the league initial offer. His plan seems to have worked, Donald Fehr head of the NHLPA said on Tuesday he was pleasantly surprised with the leagues second offer.

The only good news about the leagues proposal is the players would make $460 million more than the owners suggested in the original deal, everything else is just "re-worded".

• The NHL has come up with a 6 year deal, 3 of those years will result in a fixed salary cap and the final 3 will return to the cap being based on the league revenue. players would earn 51.6% in 2012-13, 50.5% in 2013-14 and 49.6% in 2014-15. In the final three years, the players and owners would split revenue 50-50.


• This offer does not include rollbacks on current contracts. Meaning players like Sidney Crosby will still get all the money the were promised.


• The league is asking the players to give back 11 percent which would set the salary cap at $58 million, $12 million less than it would have been under the current CBA. Not mention 16 current teams are already over $58 million.


• The players revenue share is 46% up from the original 43%


• The NHL would also like the players salaries to go towards escrow, this point here pretty much rules out any real significant changes between the first deal and the second deal.

The Fehr accompanied by 11 players met with the NHL today to present their alternatives and further debate the second proposal. It appears the players didn't have the same feelings of optimism about the "improved" deal;

"We’re ready to play. We want to play. But Gary'’s pretty adamant about his third lockout of his tenure.” ~ Zach Parise

Very powerful statement by Parise, gives fans a little insight on what the players are thinking about the CBA negotiations. Unfortunately for the players, right now the NHL has the power.

Fehr says the players will work on a second counterproposal which may be ready as early as tomorrow. But he still claims both sides are far apart on revenue sharing. The biggest thing separating to the two sides is the revenue sharing or the "pie" as the two sides refer to it.

"Before you divide up the pie,need to remove some of what is included in the pie" ~ Donald Fehr

The good news for fans, is both sides seem to have found some common ground, pie. Both sides are hung up of the revenue share and how much of the pie their side will get. With the latest deal the NHLPA would get 46% of the pie while the NHL would get 54%. Here's a remarkable idea why not share the pie 50/50?

The players still feel like the league is trying to take "money out of their pockets" and are concerned about a new 6 year deal. But good news for fans is both sides seem to have found some common ground and are starting to focus their negotiations on getting a deal done. While the clock is still ticking both sides still refuse to accept a straight deal without compromise. But as long as they're talking it has to be good news right?

My prediction

• The Players will be the ones to backdown and accept a deal


• We will not see a full season lockout but will see a work stoppage, resulting in a shortened season.

 

Jim Joyce Changes His Reputation

 

It's been a rough two years for MLB umpire Jim Joyce. You may remember him as the umpire who took away Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga's perfect game, when he called a runner who was clearly out safe. After that he received threats, even death threats, heck the man even cried and admitted he had made a mistake, but to his credit he kept umpiring games. After an incident this past weekend, I for one am very glad Joyce is still around.

While Joyce was walking to the field for an upcoming game, a stadium employee collapsed and began having what co-workers called "seizures". When Joyce arrived on the scene he noticed something more than just a seizure was taking place and began to give the employee CPR. Joyce was able to keep the woman alive until paramedics made it to the scene.

"I knew something was wrong, and I knew if something wasn't done, this lady could actually die in front of me. It was more instinct than anything else." ~ Jim Joyce

Thanks to Joyce's quick thinking he saved the woman's life, and on top of that he even went to visit her and her family in the hospital on Tuesday. The woman said she remembered hearing Joyce's voice yelling at her to "stay alive" and "keep fighting". To me Mr. Joyce proved himself to be a classy guy, he could have easily ignored the woman and claimed "he never saw her" but instead he stepped up to the plate. Hopefully he's changed a few people's feelings about him. Heck after saving the employee's life he went out and umpired a game at home-plate!

Joyce's fellow umpiring crew gave him the option to switch to third base after the emotional incident but he declined as he needed a distraction;

"It was very emotional, I'll be honest with you but I didn't want to go to third base because just standing there, literally, [the incident] is all I would have thought about all night. I wouldn't have been able to think about anything else. ~ Joyce

I watch SportsCentre just about everyday but I didn't hear one mention of Joyce's heroics after the incident, where as his mistake was paisted all over for everyone to see. The media wanted people to know he messed up, that seems to be all they care about and Joyce appears to have been painted in the wrong picture. Sure he messed up and as a result forfeited a perfect game for a picture but "to err is human" The important thing is he admitted his mistake and moved on, fans should too!

Next time you want to heckle, chirp or criticize an umpire after a call, just remember one day you could need the help of an umpire. Jim Joyce just made the most important call of his 24 year career. Well done Mr. Joyce, well done!

What You Need to Know August 27

It's been a while since I've written an instalment of my summer series "What you need to know". Normally they come out of Fridays, but since I'm sick of talking about an impending lockout I decided it was time to give you all a breakdown on whats going on around the league. Here we go;

• Nail Yakupov battling leg infection

The first overall pick from the 2012 entry draft and top prospect of the Edmonton Oilers had an accident while training which resulted in a leg infection. While taking part in a 3 on 3 training session in Edmonton, Yakupov took a tumble off a treadmill. It was reported he suffered a leg infection from the fall/cut and had to stay off the ice. He is now back to training. Yakupov insists he is now fine;

"Nobody worry about my leg!" ~Nail Yakupov

• Neuvirth blames translation for harsh comments about teammates

The Washington Capitals goaltender is trying to cover his tracks in a big way. Neuvirth had an interview with a Czech media outlet who were kind enough to translate the interview into English, many were surprised by the goaltenders comments. In the interview he claimed that Brayden Holtby was his "weakest competition ever and he would have no problem winning the starting job" and that teammate Alexander Ovechkin "wasn't the same player he used to be".

Last week Neuvirth said his comments were not translated correctly and he didn't say those things in that context. Only Neurvirth knows what he really meant in his interview and hopefully it wasn't anything serious. Here's a link to the interview.

• Oilers lock up Taylor Hall

The Edmonton Oilers locked up their "face of the franchise" and possibly their next captain Taylor Hall to a 7 year deal worth $42 million.
The Oilers drafted Hall first overall in the 2010 draft and he helps lead a young group of talented Oilers.

"I'm only 20 years old. I think this just shows the commitment that I have here. When they said seven years I didn't blink, I'm comfortable being here for that long, and I think by that time, hopefully we're a perennial threat. That's my main goal, and that's my mindset when I signed the deal, is that that's going to happen." ~ Taylor Hall

•  19 days to make a deal

There are roughly 19 days left for the NHL and NHLPA to agree on a new CBA. The impending deadline of September 15th is coming quickly, leaving little time for negotiating. One side must cave if there is to be hockey and look for it to be the players.

• Predators lock up Fisher

The Nashville Predators and Mike Fisher agreed on a two-year contract extension worth $8.4 million. The deal assures that Fisher who would have become a free agent during the 2013-2014 campaign will be staying Nashville.

• Flyers lock up Hartnell

The Eastern Conference wont be getting any easier to play in next season. The "broad street bullies' have resigned their agitator Scott Hartnell to a six-year extension worth $28.5 million. Last season he proved to the Flyers and fans that he can do more than just annoy opponents physically, he can also annoy them on the score board; He had a career year last season which saw him score 37 goals and rack up 67 points, a feat the Flyers are hoping he can repeat.

• Canada on top once again

Team Canada won their fifth straight Ivan Hlinka championship with a 4-0 victory over finland. The tournament helps feature some of the best prospects available for the 2013 draft and Nathan MacKinnon made sure he made a lasting impression netting a hat-trick to help solidify the win for Canada.

• Traverse City Prospects tournament cancelled

Sad news for Sabres fans or any fan who likes to watch prospects get together and battle it out. The tournament the Buffalo Sabres rookies won last season has been cancelled. The Detroit Red Wings organization which hosts the tournament decided to cancel the even due to the uncertainty surrounding the CBA.

• KHL after Ovechkin

Remember how I've said many NHL stars would head over to Russia to play in the KHL? It's already happening, the Moscow Dynamo club out of the KHL has told the media they will attempt to sign Washington Capitals captain and Russian Alexander Ovechkin to a contract if there is indeed an NHL lockout.

Has Gary Bettman Pushed the Best Fans Too Far?

With the deadline of September 15th inching closer every day things are getting more and more hostile in the hockey world. If people weren't upset at Gary Bettman enough already, he decided it would be a great idea to pour salt on the open wounds of hockey fans. Whether we like it or not a lockout is the main topic on everyone's mind. After the meetings on Thursday Bettman was asked "If he thought the league could survive another lockout?" and this was his response;

“We recovered last time because we have the world’s greatest fans." ~ Gary Bettman

Really Bettman, you think we're the greatest fans? How about you start treating us like the greatest fans instead of doormats! Instead of fighting till the bitter end with Donald Fehr maybe you could find some common ground and give the greatest fans what they want, hockey! At first sight his comment about the lockout may seem like a playful/nice compliment about the fans, but if you really look at what he's saying it's fairly easy to draw other conclusions.

"Maybe if the fans weren't so desperate for hockey, then I'd actually be worried"

Right now Bettman believes that the fans (the ones who help buy tickets and pay his salary) are mindless sheep, who will keep coming back to the slaughter house if it means we are provided with what we want. He's not worried about a lockout because he thinks the fans will be right back in the arena's the moment he "allows" there to be hockey. Sure maybe the die hard hockey fans will, but the majority of fans will be gone.

When billionaires and millionaires the only ones that lose are the fans, and it's true. We lose the ability to watch the game we love, to see our favourite players compete night in and night out and most importantly we will miss seeing a team fulfill a life-long dream. The 2004-2005 lockout was tough. I was just a mere child who didn't fully understand what the two sides were fighting over, I just wanted to watch hockey. Now that I'm older I understand that the two sides are fighting over money. They say "money is the root of all evil" and I'm really starting to understand what they mean. The owners and Between are really going to war against the players over money. It's not like someones human rights have been violated or a crime has been committed, the owners are trying to figure out another way to make more money.

Whether Bettman wants to admit it or not, the NHL didn't recover as well as he described above. It took a long time for people to come back to the game. Last season was a major positive for the league; they worked out a new deal with NBC and more fans tuned into games. The NHL started to gain momentum to bring the game we love to the next level. Now the league feels comfortable enough to call another lockout and ruin the momentum the NHL has been building. But has Between pushed the fans too far? Here's three reasons why fans wont be as quick to jump back on the NHL bandwagon.

•  This will be the league third lockout in the last 17 years and second in less than a decade! People can only be let down by something they love so many times, eventually they'll move. Maybe the NHL needs to adopt a rule from baseball; three strikes and you're out.


• While Canadians are crazy about their hockey and wouldn't miss it for the world, the Americans don't feel the same. Hockey is probably around the fifth post popular sport in the states. They have the NFL, NBA, MLB and the NCAA, non of which have had as many lockout issues as hockey. The NBA and NFL both had a to make a new CBA like the NHL is doing now. But they sucked back their ego's and got a deal done, as a result they didn't lose many fans. If there is indeed a lockout Between will have his opened when he realized how many fans he's lost for good!


• Lastly Bettman and the owners have a complete lack of respect for the fans. For them it's all about how much money they can make. But when Between comes out and makes comments like the one above, it makes people upset. He's taking advantage of fans and pretty soon those fans are not going to waste money on tickets and jerseys if thats how they're treated/viewed.

To end I'll leave you with a tweet I sent out on Thursday;

If Between thinks us fans are the best, maybe he should give us what we want...... hockey #NHL #NoLockout

— Caitlin Campbell (@Hockeylife30) August 23, 2012

CBA Update

I really wish I had good news to pass on to you all, but Gary Bettman doesn't want me to. The majority of fans agree that the CBA talks are moving too slowly, the two sides met last Wednesday and were supposed to meet all day Wednesday. Notice I said supposed to meet Wednesday. While Donald Fehr and Bettman did meet to discuss their feelings over the negotiations Wednesday morning, they decided to call off the NHL/ NHLPA meetings that were supposed to take place Wednesday afternoon.The negotiations are expected to continue Thursday morning.

The two sides met for two hours on Wednesday morning. The purpose of the meeting? To get everyones thoughts on the negotiations;

"I think more than anything else it was to review where we are in the process, where we've come from, where we are with the various proposals and to determine how to move the process forward in the best way possible" ~ Bill Daly

With just under a month until the deadline, there doesn't appear to be much urgency from either side. Cancelling meetings is no way to work out a new deal. It was rumoured that during the two hour meeting, which included the top executives from both sides, that revenue sharing was once again the major topic. Bettman and the league have upped the players share of revenue to 6 percent slightly raised from their initial 4.5 percent.

Key point to be addressed today in #CBA negotiations,REVENUE SHARING.Reported NHL proposal moves it from $150M (4.5%) to $190 (6%).NHLPA

— Aaron Ward (@aaronward_nhl) August 22, 2012

CBA talks will hopefully resume Thursday morning and continue for the majority of the day. Fans should have a better idea on where the two sides stand by the end of the week. Right now it's a game of who will blink first: the millionaires or the billionaires.

 

Comparing Goalies Under and Over 30

 

This weekend I asked you to submit ideas via my Facebook fan-page to determine the subject of today's blog. There were some awesome ideas submitted, some of which may even be written about down the road. But the winner of the contest is Margann Laurissa, who suggested that I compare the stats of goalies under the age of 30 to those of goalies over the age of 30. This was an awesome idea that combined two of the things I like most; goalies and a challenge.
Let's begin the comparison:

I have chosen three goalies under 30 and three goalies over 30. For the goalies under 30 I wanted to find goalies that are in their prime or entering their prime where as two of the three goalies I chose over the age of 30 are entering the final stages of their careers. We will be comparing the goalies based on their statistical performances from last season (regular season).

Goalies Under 30:

Jonathan Quick (26)

After Quick's performance last season that ultimately won his team the cup, one would be out of their mind not to include him as one of the best goalies under the age of 30. The scary thing with Quick is the fact he appears to be just entering his prime now. The end of last season marked his 4th season in the league (3rd as a full time starter) and he already has a Stanley Cup to his name, not a bad way to begin your career! After his performance last season there is no question Quick will be the Kings goalie of the future.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 69 games, 35 wins, 10 Shutouts, 1.95 Goals Against Average and a .929 Save Percentage.

Marc-Andre Fleury (27)

While statistically speaking Fleury didn't have a fantastic campaign, he was put in a tough spot. The Penguins went without Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang, two vital players for the majority of the season and the Penguins back-up goalies couldn't be trusted in important games which resulted in Fleury starting 23 consecutive games at one point. Fleury was a work horse this season and at the end of the day he was able to backstop his team into the playoffs.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 67 games, 42 wins, 3 shutouts, 2.36 Goals Against Average and a .913 Save Percentage.

Carey Price (25)

Although Price and the Canadiens had a rough season last year, there is no question in my mind that he is still an elite goaltender. With better players in front of him and actually scoring goals (yes we're looking at you Scott Gomez) the Canadiens will have a much better season and Price's stats will reflect that. Price is finally starting to find himself as a goaltender. He admitted last season that in the past he was "young and immature" his play on the ice reflected that. But last season we saw a much more composed goalie, Price has finally come to the point where he is becoming a mature goalie. He knows what it takes to win, and isn't whining nearly as much. This is all positive for Habs fans as I wouldn't be surprised if Price led them back to the playoffs next season.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 65 games, 26 wins, 4 shutouts, 2.43 Goals Against Average and a .916 Save Percentage.

Goalies Over 30:

Martin Brodeur (40)



Brodeur is the ageless wonder in net. One game it looks like his age has finally caught up to him, then the next games he plays like he's 25 again. It's really exciting to watch him play and incorporate the old style

into his game in the new era of the NHL. Last season he led the New Jersey Devils to within two wins of the Stanley Cup, not bad for a guy who just turned 40! There's times when I watch him play and think he could go on and play forever. Despite being 40 and "past his prime" he is still one of the elite goalies in the league.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 59 games, 31 wins, 3 shutouts, 2.41 Goals Against Average and a .908 Save Percentage.

 Tim Thomas (38)

While Thomas has proved himself to be a nut case over the last little while (but hey, what goalie isn't a little crazy?) he is still a very good goaltender. A year removed from the Bruins historic Stanley Cup win, Thomas' stats went down a little this season causing many to question whether he should remain as the starting goalie. Those who questioned that received their wish this off season as Thomas announced he would be taking a year off of hockey to "find himself". While his plan is to come back to play hockey again after his year long sabbatical Thomas' career is winding down.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 59 games, 35 wins, 5 shutouts, 2.36 GAA, and a .920 Save Percentage.

Ryan Miller (32)

While including Miller in this list may be a bit of stretch he's a goalie that fits right in the middle. He's just over the hump of 30 but not approaching his 40's and likely still has 4-5 more seasons left in the tank. Plus did you really think I was going to leave him out of this article? Miller battled injuries and consistency problems last season but was still able to brake the franchise record for most career wins with 235. In addition to setting a new franchise record he became one of only two goalies to have 30+ wins in 7 straight seasons. While his stats don't speak volumes, in my books Miller is still elite.

2011-2012 Regular Season Stats: 61 games, 31 wins, 6 shutouts, 2.54 Goals Against Average and a .916 Save Percentage.

One of the questions Margann wanted answered, was to see if age had any bearing on the stats of goalies. I'm not going to lie the statistics from last season were a lot closer than I expected them to be. The 6 goalies compared above all have relatively close statistics.

3 things to take note of-

• Jonathan Quick and Tim Thomas are the last two Stanley Cup Winning goalies. They had the highest save percentage amongst the 6 goalies. But if you look at Thomas' stats from last season (9 shutouts and 2.00 GAA) they are almost identical to those of Jonathan Quick's from this season!


• All three of the goalies under 30 played in 60+ games while only Ryan Miller of the over 30's played in more than 60 games.


• Amongst the three goalies Jonathan Quick had the best stats, ironically he won the Stanley Cup. Sometimes stats do matter.

If one had simply taken the statistics of these six goaltenders without looking at their age, they would have a very difficult time figuring out which goalies were over 30 and which were under. That speaks volumes for the older goalies on the list. With the knowledge about conditioning and nutrition that there is today the goalies are able to keep themselves in top shape and have very solid seasons. Maybe one day the NHL can compile an all star game of players under 30 vs players over 30 and see who would win!

What do you think? Which goalie would you rather have on your team?

Gatineau Olympiques Adam Chapman Interview

Chapman was drafted in the 8th round of the 2010 OHL draft by the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds. As a rookie he was able to make the Greyhounds out of training camp and stayed with the team for 42 games. Chapman knew if he wanted to stay in the OHL he would need to make an adjustment to his game, so he did. In those 42 games with the Greyhounds he racked up 41 penalty minutes and made a transition to become more of a role player. He was then claimed off waivers by the Sarnia Sting, the same team who drafted his brother Joshua Chapman. Adam joined the Gatineau Olympics of QMJHL during the 2011-2012 season. At last he finally found a home becoming an instant crowd favorite. He's the type of player you adore when he's on your team but cringe in fear if he's not.
I had the opportunity to interview the Markham Ontario native.

1. How would you describe your role with the Gatineau Olympiques?

My role on the team is to put up some points by doing



the dirty work around the net. I like screening the goalie, tipping in shots and getting rebounds. I also like to play physical, fight and run my mouth a lot. I find it throws the other players and goalies off their game, which makes my job easier.

2. Do you embrace playing the villan?

I have a lot of fun being the pest out on the ice, and I know if I want to have a future in hockey I need to bring something unique to the table.

3. At what age did you know hockey was what you wanted to do for the rest of your life?

I've loved hockey for as long as I've been alive. I started playing when I was 4 and since then it's always been a dream of mine to play in the NHL.

4. Whats the best part about fighting an opponent?

I like fighting to stand up for my teammates or to get the team going when we need a boost.

http://youtu.be/3b4fa3Ap_qs

5. What are your plans for next season?

My plan for this season is to have a really big season both personally and as a member of the Olympiques. I think we'll have a really strong team that will win a lot of games and challenge for the Memorial Cup. It's my goal to win a Memorial Cup and each year that has to be the goal no matter what the situation is.

6. If you could play for any NHL team who would it be?

If I could play for any NHL team I'd want to play for either the L.A Kings or the San Jose Sharks. They're both great hockey clubs with fantastic fan bases. I'd also love to live on the beach.

7. Who is currently your best friend in the hockey world?

It would be hard to pick a best friend, every team I've played with I've been really close to a bunch of guys. But I've always been really close with my brother. We trained together this summer and we push each other to get better each day.

8. What is the major goal for your hockey career?

My goal is to play in the NHL. It's why I wake up every day to train and eat properly. I've dedicated my whole life to hockey and I will not give up.

9. Whose had a major influence on your hockey career?

This summer I went back home to train with Gary Roberts. During my time at Roberts camp I learned a ton about proper nutrition and training. He trains some of the best players: Steven Stamkos, James Neal, Nazem Kadri, Jeff Skinner, the list goes on. Being in a environment like that you gain a lot of knowledge and the tools to give you every advantage to succeed.

Final Words:

I want to play in the NHL and one day I will be there. Whatever it takes I'm willing to do.

Adam is certainly living up to his role of being a "pest" in 49 games with the Olympiques he racked up 139 penalty minutes. But he can also put the puck in the net when he needs to, scoring 15 goals and adding 18 assists for a solid 33 points.

I'd like to thank Adam for the interview and wish him the best with his career. One day I'm sure we'll be seeing him in the NHL. Best of luck Adam!

We've Moved

It's an exciting time here at The Puck Stops Here. Wednesday August 15th marked our one year anniversary. I have officially been writing for 1 whole year, time has flown by and I am honestly amazed looking back over the past year. Considering my age and experience or lack there of what I have been able to accomplish is remarkable. The Puck Stops Here has passed over 22,000 hits here on this current blog.

But it's time to focus on making The Puck Stops Here into it's own brand and getting it out into the public eye. That is why I have opted to move the blog from where it is now and continue writing the blog under SportsRantz. This gives me the opportunity to write on the phenomenal word press system and should make life easier for both reader and writer. The best part about writing under SportsRantz is I'm writing solely for The Puck Stops Here. This is a chance to branch out and reach more people.

Here is the link/URL to my new site ----> The Puck Stops Here

It's been a fantastic year of writing and debating topics with you awesome readers. I can't wait to see what unfolds in year 2.

Once again I can't thank you enough for all your support on this journey!

Gary Bettman Kills Fans Optimism

The optimism surrounding the current CBA talks I wrote about yesterday has quickly vanished. Less than 24 hours after Donald Fehr and the players submitted what fans thought was their counter offer to the league, which ignited hope that the season would start on time, Gary Bettman stuck another dagger through the hearts of fans. Well played Bettman, well played.

When Bettman told the media and the NHLPA on Tuesday that he needed "time to evaluate" their proposal, he clearly meant he "needed time to reject it". He addressed the media on Wednesday after himself and the owners had a chance to read over the counter-proposal and to the shock of many, they NHLPA had only submitted half of their proposal.

"The sides are far apart and have different views of the world. There is still a wide gap between us with not much time to go." ~ Gary Bettman

With one simple quote the optimism that surrounded the NHL is gone and now it is even more likely we will see a lockout. Bettman played his game perfectly. He let the dust settle from the meetings on Tuesday, and allowed the fans to get excited before slamming the door in their face.

With his statement today he reiterated the fact there isn't a lot of time to get a deal done before September 15th, exactly one month. The two sides will not meet again until next Wednesday, which will likely be the second half of the NHLPA's proposal. Remember when I said the slightest snag would mean missing the start of the season?

Bettman was "disappointed" that the players took a month to present half of a proposal back to the league, and now it looks like that little stunt will prove costly. But if the two sides are as far apart as Bettman is leading us to believe, why wait a week between meetings?

The Problem:

The players feel like they compromised back in 2004 and as a result got the "raw" end of  the deal. They lost in the last labour agreements and don't want to lose this time, which is why they hired Donald Fehr. Fehr doesn't like to lose and won't go down without a fight, the players were tired of being bullied around by Bettman and the owners so they decided to fight fire with fire. Unfortunately when you combine fire with fire the result is a bigger fire.

Since the players refuse to get the raw end of the deal this time around, they have nothing over the owners and the owner know that. The ball is squarely in the owners corner. If they negotiate there is hope to salvage some of the season, if they chose to continue playing hardball we will see a lockout.

As of right now the two sides are "far apart" and with roughly one month till the deadline things are looking rather bleak. Want further proof we're heading for a lockout?

"You hope for the best but prepare for the worst." ~ Fehr

In preparing for the worst Fehr has told the players to start preparing/expecting a lockout. When the side trying to salvage a deal is now preparing for a lockout, you know things have gone south.

The CBA negotiations are further proof that when millionaires fight over money the only people lose out are the fans, good luck getting them back Bettman!

[author] [author_info]Caitlin has spent her whole life around hockey rinks. From the time she started skating to the time she picked up her first stick she fell in love. She played 12.5 years of competitive hockey and received a scholarship. Her career was cut short as a result of concussions. When she hung up her skates she picked up a pen and turned her love for the game into a love of writing about the game. She has been writing for roughly 1 year and is finishing up grade 12.[/author_info] [/author]

NHLPA Presents Counteroffer

At the beginning of the day things were very tense in the hockey world. Players were not very happy Gary Bettman had even mentioned a lockout. With the newly set September 15th deadline, one wrong move and the 2012-2013 NHL season will not start on time.

On Tuesday Donald Fehr and 23 players making up the NHLPA presented their counteroffer to the leagues original offer. The NHL presented their initial offer one month ago which included: a reduction of the players revenue shares (down to 43&%), new policy that players must spend 10 years in the league before becoming eligible for unrestricted free agency, limiting the length of contracts to five years and extending the length of entry-level contracts to five years.

The initial response from those in the hockey world was that the two sides were far apart. The question became how far apart? On Tuesday we got our answer. To the surprise of many the two sides no longer seem as far apart as once feared. Representatives of the league even said "It wasn't as bad as they feared it would be".

The reason there is a sense of optimism around the league is because Fehr and the NHLPA played it smart. The players showed the fans that they want to play hockey and aren't entirely focused on the money. They knew exactly what the league would object too (causing a delay in the start of the season) and went in with a game plan, now the ball is in the leagues corner.

“We do believe the proposal the players made today, once implemented, can produce a healthy and long lasting labour relationship and eliminate the labour strife that has plagued the league for the past two decades.” ~Fehr

While the exact details of the NHLPA's "alternate system" weren't released to the public as Bettman wanted more time to read it over, the major point was the players are willing to accept less money if it means playing hockey. A point that would make the league and Bettman very happy. In the leagues initial offer they proposed lowering the players share of league revenue, something the players were originally not too happy about. But as the meeting finished today the players were singing a different tune.

"Under our alternative proposal, essentially the players have indicated that they will take a reduced share of HRR, going forward, for the next three seasons," Fehr said. "That would be based on a reduction from what would be produced otherwise under the current formula with the league growing at traditional rates that it has for the last seven years. ~Fehr

While the players version of taking less money is the opposite of what the league envisioned it is still intriguing. What the NHLPA has said is for the next 3 years (possibly 4) the players will take a smaller cut of the action. Depending on the revenue going forward the players would be forfeiting between $400-$800 million dollars. The best part of the proposal is the players even had an idea on where the extra money should go, and no it wasn't to Bettman.

"In essence, when you boil it all down, what we're suggesting is that the players partner with the financially stronger owners to help stabilize the industry and assist the less financially-strong ownership groups." ~Fehr

One of the major issues with owners (especially those of smaller market teams) was the fact they weren't getting a big enough cut compared to some of the larger market teams. That issue appears to be fixed.

Things that were not brought up in the players "alternate system"

• Removing a hard salary cap


•  The length and structure of players contracts

While the fans and the NHL had to wait one month, yes one month, for Fehr and company to make their first offer to the league it appears to have been well worth the wait. Despite Bettman's deadline of September 15th there is optimism in the air thanks to the players and their efforts to salvage a season. They played it smart pinning small market owners against large market owners and winning the fans vote by stating they are willing to accept less cash. It now lies solely on Gary Bettman's shoulders. Exactly one month to make a deal!

What do you think, will we see hockey start on time?

Players Thoughts On A Lockout

The invention of twitter has been great for hockey fans. It allows fans to share their thoughts on teams, players and gives them an opportunity to meet other hockey fans. But lately NHL players are starting to use twitter to update and stay in touch with their fans. Every so often fans get lucky and NHL players will tweet what is on their mind. With NHL commissioner Gary Bettman talking about a possible lockout both fans and players are up in arms and lucky for us some players have taken to twitter to express their feelings.

*Listed below are tweets directly from NHL players*

The @nhl says they won’t play past Sept 15th under current deal. Apparently they don’t like the deal they designed. #CBA #nhlpa2012
— Henrik Lundqvist (@HLundqvist30) August 10, 2012

Sad to see Bettman bring up the words LOCKOUT, it was tough on everyone staff, arena people, and the FANS in 2004. The game is to Good!
— Steve Ott (@otter2nine) August 9, 2012

Disappointed the League is talking about a lockout before we even give our @nhlpa counterproposal. #theplayers
— Brandon Prust (@BrandonPrust8) August 10, 2012

Still training hard for the season ahead. Hope Gary Bettman wasn't serious about a lockout. #theplayers @nhlpa
— Michael Cammalleri (@MCammalleri13) August 10, 2012

A lockout is only one option and never a solution #fansdeservebetter #theplayers @nhlpa
— daniel winnik (@Danwinnik34) August 10, 2012

The word lockout should be mentioned on Sept 15 and then only. Plenty of time for a solution. Seems like Gary is eager for the "hat-trick".
— Joffrey Lupul (@JLupul) August 10, 2012

Tough hearing the word lockout. Players just want what's fair. #NHLPA #theplayers
— Logan Couture (@Logancouture) August 11, 2012

There you have it, straight from the horses mouth. Players thoughts on the lockout, while this is just a small sample of players one could only imagine many are feeling the same way... fed up!

Here's three things to take away from the tweets:

1. The majority of players are upset over the fact their side (the NHLPA) hasn't even submitted a counteroffer to the league and already Bettman is talking about a lockout. If anything the September 15th deadline should come as a wake up call to players. The players and Donald Fehr need to stop monkeying around and submit their side. Is it fair to talk about a lockout without hearing both sides? Not really, but considering how long the players are taking something needed to be said.

2. The players genuinely don't want a lockout. Take away all the money and endorsement deals, when it comes down to it the players are playing the game because they love it. Sure money can get in the way of that, but if they didn't love the game they wouldn't be in the NHL. The players aren't exactly dumb, they know another lockout would really hurt the game and the fans. A third lockout in 17 could turn a lot of fans away from the game, some may not come back.
At the end of the day the players just want to play hockey. Sure they need to make money for their families, but playing is the most important thing. But because of the two sides trying to hammer out a new CBA, they players don't have much of a voice. Unless Fehr gets a deal he likes out of Bettman chances are the lockout will drag on, no matter what the players say.

3. The players have a lot of hostility towards Bettman. Sure he is their antagonist trying to lower their pay and keeping them out of the game. But you have to think, if it wasn't up to the NHL owners maybe Bettman would have been fired by now..

Players Thoughts On A Lockout

The invention of twitter has been great for hockey fans. It allows fans to share their thoughts on teams, players and gives them an opportunity to meet other hockey fans. But lately NHL players are starting to use twitter to update and stay in touch with their fans. Every so often fans get lucky and NHL players will tweet what is on their mind. With NHL commissioner Gary Bettman talking about a possible lockout both fans and players are up in arms and lucky for us some players have taken to twitter to express their feelings.

*Listed below are tweets directly from NHL players*

The @nhl says they won’t play past Sept 15th under current deal. Apparently they don’t like the deal they designed. #CBA #nhlpa2012
— Henrik Lundqvist (@HLundqvist30) August 10, 2012

Sad to see Bettman bring up the words LOCKOUT, it was tough on everyone staff, arena people, and the FANS in 2004. The game is to Good!
— Steve Ott (@otter2nine) August 9, 2012

Disappointed the League is talking about a lockout before we even give our @nhlpa counterproposal. #theplayers
— Brandon Prust (@BrandonPrust8) August 10, 2012

Still training hard for the season ahead. Hope Gary Bettman wasn't serious about a lockout. #theplayers @nhlpa
— Michael Cammalleri (@MCammalleri13) August 10, 2012

A lockout is only one option and never a solution #fansdeservebetter #theplayers @nhlpa
— daniel winnik (@Danwinnik34) August 10, 2012

The word lockout should be mentioned on Sept 15 and then only. Plenty of time for a solution. Seems like Gary is eager for the "hat-trick".
— Joffrey Lupul (@JLupul) August 10, 2012

Tough hearing the word lockout. Players just want what's fair. #NHLPA #theplayers
— Logan Couture (@Logancouture) August 11, 2012

 There you have it, straight from the horses mouth. Players thoughts on the lockout, while this is just a small sample of players one could only imagine many are feeling the same way... fed up!

Here's three things to take away from the tweets:

1. The majority of players are upset over the fact their side (the NHLPA) hasn't even submitted a counteroffer to the league and already Bettman is talking about a lockout. If anything the September 15th deadline should come as a wake up call to players. The players and Donald Fehr need to stop monkeying around and submit their side. Is it fair to talk about a lockout without hearing both sides? Not really, but considering how long the players are taking something needed to be said.

2. The players genuinely don't want a lockout. Take away all the money and endorsement deals, when it comes down to it the players are playing the game because they love it. Sure money can get in the way of that, but if they didn't love the game they wouldn't be in the NHL. The players aren't exactly dumb, they know another lockout would really hurt the game and the fans. A third lockout in 17 could turn a lot of fans away from the game, some may not come back.
At the end of the day the players just want to play hockey. Sure they need to make money for their families, but playing is the most important thing. But because of the two sides trying to hammer out a new CBA, they players don't have much of a voice. Unless Fehr gets a deal he likes out of Bettman chances are the lockout will drag on, no matter what the players say.

3. The players have a lot of hostility towards Bettman. Sure he is their antagonist trying to lower their pay and keeping them out of the game. But you have to think, if it wasn't up to the NHL owners maybe Bettman would have been fired by now..

Life Without Hockey

Gary Bettman announced to the media Thursday, that he fully intends to lock the players out if there is no deal reached by September 15th. Looks like a long offseason may become much longer.

"Time is running short and the owners are not prepared to operate under this collective bargaining agreement for another season, so we need to get to making a deal and doing it soon," ~ Gary Bettman


Bettman's comments come after his counterpart NHLPA leader Donald Fehr had said the players were willing to go into training camps without a deal by September 15th. Clearly Bettman has a different idea.

Bettman's comments will do one of two things. One way to look at the comments is as Bettman trying to light a fire under the NHLPA. The league and owners submitted their idea for the CBA to the NHLPA weeks ago, but the NHLPA has yet to submit their counterproposal to the league. The September 15th deadline leaves just 5 weeks for the two sides to hammer out a deal and with the NHLPA expected to submit their offer on Tuesday hopefully the two sides will be eager to make a deal. Bettman was obviously not happy with how long Fehr was taking visiting players in Russia and around the world, so he decided enough is enough. Either submit your counter offer or be ready for a lockout.

The other thing that could happen is obvious, five weeks isn't enough time for the two sides to fix out all the "kinks" in a new deal. Therefore if one side is unwilling to back down we WILL see a lockout. With the September 15th deadline talks must happen quickly and swiftly in order for a deal to get done, the slightest hiccup or resistance from one side will result in missing the deadline.

Hopefully for hockey fans it's the first option that happens. Fehr and the players feel the fire lit under them and are eager to get a deal done.

It is odd however that Bettman would come out and firmly state they meet the deadline or no hockey as another lockout would only further tarnish his reputation. If the 2012-2013 season does begin with a lockout, it will be the third lockout under the leadership of Bettman. 3 lockouts in 17 years, not exactly a great legacy.

But what worries me most (and should worry you too) is not who's right, because frankly their both rich and greedy men who don't want to back down. But the worst part of the impending lockout is the NHL's reputation. Sure there are some die hard hockey fans that will be sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for the league to come back, but what about all the fringe fans or the fans we lost in the last lockout? The majority of people are just going to move on and find other things to watch and do while the NHL is on strike, but who says they'll come back?
The NHL still has not recovered from the last lockout. Lot's of fans stopped watching and caring about hockey. What turns a lot of people off is the fact that the league owners and the players are already millionaires yet they still want more money. Heck that even turns me off! Why do millionaires need to fight over more money, just play the game you're payed millions to play!
If Bettman sticks to his "deadline" and there is a lockout, the NHL will lose millions of fans who may never come back.

Let's use the Toronto Maple Leafs as a prime example. It's been 8 years since the Leafs were last in the playoffs. There is now a whole generation of Leafs fans that haven't seen or don't remember them being in the playoffs. Pretty soon young kids will not want to support the Leafs. With another lockout it will become 9 years (7 seasons) which means kids that are 12-15 won't remember the Leafs in the playoffs. Who want's to cheer for a team that to their memory hasn't made the playoffs?

Hockey in America is already struggling. The majority of Americans would rather watch football or basketball before hockey on any given day. Take away the third option they're still left with football and basketball which they prefer anyways. If you take away hockey all together people are going to lose interest in the sport. What kind of professional league has 3 lockouts in 17 years?!?

The sad thing, there is really no need for a lockout. It shouldn't be this difficult for two sides to come together and workout a new agreement. The players got tired of being pushed around by Bettman, as a result they hired one of the toughest negotiators in sports. Now we have two power hungry men who don't want to backdown and as a result innocent fans are going to get hurt.

While I'd like to remain optimistic about a deal getting down, it's not looking good. Week by week the chances of the 2012-2013 season starting on time are slipping away, hopefully if they don't start on time they will at least start.
Fans take advantage of the lack of professional hockey and head down to watch your local AHL, OHL, CHL or junior team so you can see players who actually play for the love of the game!

Life Without Hockey

Gary Bettman announced to the media Thursday, that he fully intends to lock the players out if there is no deal reached by September 15th. Looks like a long offseason may become much longer.

"Time is running short and the owners are not prepared to operate under this collective bargaining agreement for another season, so we need to get to making a deal and doing it soon," ~ Gary Bettman


Bettman's comments come after his counterpart NHLPA leader Donald Fehr had said the players were willing to go into training camps without a deal by September 15th. Clearly Bettman has a different idea.

Bettman's comments will do one of two things. One way to look at the comments is as Bettman trying to light a fire under the NHLPA. The league and owners submitted their idea for the CBA to the NHLPA weeks ago, but the NHLPA has yet to submit their counterproposal to the league. The September 15th deadline leaves just 5 weeks for the two sides to hammer out a deal and with the NHLPA expected to submit their offer on Tuesday hopefully the two sides will be eager to make a deal. Bettman was obviously not happy with how long Fehr was taking visiting players in Russia and around the world, so he decided enough is enough. Either submit your counter offer or be ready for a lockout.

The other thing that could happen is obvious, five weeks isn't enough time for the two sides to fix out all the "kinks" in a new deal. Therefore if one side is unwilling to back down we WILL see a lockout. With the September 15th deadline talks must happen quickly and swiftly in order for a deal to get done, the slightest hiccup or resistance from one side will result in missing the deadline.

Hopefully for hockey fans it's the first option that happens. Fehr and the players feel the fire lit under them and are eager to get a deal done.

It is odd however that Bettman would come out and firmly state they meet the deadline or no hockey as another lockout would only further tarnish his reputation. If the 2012-2013 season does begin with a lockout, it will be the third lockout under the leadership of Bettman. 3 lockouts in 17 years, not exactly a great legacy.

But what worries me most (and should worry you too) is not who's right, because frankly their both rich and greedy men who don't want to back down. But the worst part of the impending lockout is the NHL's reputation. Sure there are some die hard hockey fans that will be sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for the league to come back, but what about all the fringe fans or the fans we lost in the last lockout? The majority of people are just going to move on and find other things to watch and do while the NHL is on strike, but who says they'll come back?
The NHL still has not recovered from the last lockout. Lot's of fans stopped watching and caring about hockey. What turns a lot of people off is the fact that the league owners and the players are already millionaires yet they still want more money. Heck that even turns me off! Why do millionaires need to fight over more money, just play the game you're payed millions to play!
If Bettman sticks to his "deadline" and there is a lockout, the NHL will lose millions of fans who may never come back.

Let's use the Toronto Maple Leafs as a prime example. It's been 8 years since the Leafs were last in the playoffs. There is now a whole generation of Leafs fans that haven't seen or don't remember them being in the playoffs. Pretty soon young kids will not want to support the Leafs. With another lockout it will become 9 years (7 seasons) which means kids that are 12-15 won't remember the Leafs in the playoffs. Who want's to cheer for a team that to their memory hasn't made the playoffs?

Hockey in America is already struggling. The majority of Americans would rather watch football or basketball before hockey on any given day. Take away the third option they're still left with football and basketball which they prefer anyways. If you take away hockey all together people are going to lose interest in the sport. What kind of professional league has 3 lockouts in 17 years?!?

The sad thing, there is really no need for a lockout. It shouldn't be this difficult for two sides to come together and workout a new agreement. The players got tired of being pushed around by Bettman, as a result they hired one of the toughest negotiators in sports. Now we have two power hungry men who don't want to backdown and as a result innocent fans are going to get hurt.

While I'd like to remain optimistic about a deal getting down, it's not looking good. Week by week the chances of the 2012-2013 season starting on time are slipping away, hopefully if they don't start on time they will at least start.
Fans take advantage of the lack of professional hockey and head down to watch your local AHL, OHL, CHL or junior team so you can see players who actually play for the love of the game!

Canada vs. Russia

How big was the 1972 Summit Series? Big enough that Hockey Canada and Russia have teamed up to do it again, just with junior players. This years Canada-Russia Challenge will be extra significant as it's the 40th anniversary of the original series. But it will also be a time to honour the memory of the Russian team Lokomotiv Yaroslavl that passed away in a horrific plane crash.

The Canadian and Russian junior teams will take part in a 4 game mini series. The first two games will take place in Russia and the series will conclude in Halifax Nova Scotia. The series will kick off Thursday August 9th from Russia.

For Canada this series is crucial as this will be the final step in narrowing down a 22 man roster for the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championships, which will also take place in Russia. Canada is going into the series with 28 players, seven of which won bronze at the 2012 World Juniors. For many players it will be there last and best chance of making an impression on the coaching staff. Let's take a look at the key players for team Canada.

Canada
Mark Scheifele
The Winnipeg Jets first round pick from 2011 will be looking for a big performance in this years challenge. He almost made the Jets roster full time last season, but he was sent down at the end of his 7 games. Scheifele participated int he 2012 World Junior championship but didn't really stand out. Not only will he be looking to make an impression on team Canada he'll also be hoping to make the leap to the NHL next season.

Ryan Strome
Strome was the 5th overall pick in the 2011 draft and was a member of the bronze winning junior team from last year. He'll be expected to be one of the leaders in the challenge against Russia.

Jonathan Huberdeau
Huberdeau was the third overall pick in the 2011 draft and was apart of the junior team that won bronze and will be among the core players expected to lead the way against Russia.

Tom Wilson
Wilson is the lone forward from the 2012 NHL Entry draft that will be representing Canada in the challenge. The Washington Capitals selected him 16th overall. Wilson will be expected to bring grit to the roster.

Defence
Ryan Murray 
Murray has to be one of the most anxious players to get back on the ice and prove to the coaching staff that he belongs at the 2013 World Junior Championship. During last years junior championship the coaching staff asked Murray to change his game slightly, he panicked and went overboard and became to defensive minded. As a result he had a miserable tournament including deflecting two goals into his own net and wiping out his own goaltender. Murray is ready to get back to his game during the Russia challenge and prove he belongs.

Dougie Hamilton

Possibly the best defenceman Canada has going into this challenge. The Boston Bruins drafted him 9th overall in 2011 and he could become the first defenceman from that draft to break into the NHL next season. He's had three phenomenal years in the OHL with the Niagara Ice Dogs where he racked up 146 points. He also won the OHL's most outstanding defenceman award last season for his play with the Ice Dogs. Hamilton is one of seven returning from the 2012 bronze medal winning junior team. He'll be relied on heavily to lead the blue line.

Cody Ceci Griffin Reinhart
Ceci and Reinhart were both first round draft picks from the 2012 Draft. Both will be looking to have impressive debuts against Russia.

Goalies

Malcolm Subban and Laurent Brossoit
Canada has yet to announce who their starting goaltender for the tournament will be, but the battle is between Subban and Brossoit. Canada may split the games evenly at two each but if one goalie were to get the edge it will likely be Subban.

Canada vs. Russia

How big was the 1972 Summit Series? Big enough that Hockey Canada and Russia have teamed up to do it again, just with junior players. This years Canada-Russia Challenge will be extra significant as it's the 40th anniversary of the original series. But it will also be a time to honour the memory of the Russian team Lokomotiv Yaroslavl that passed away in a horrific plane crash.

The Canadian and Russian junior teams will take part in a 4 game mini series. The first two games will take place in Russia and the series will conclude in Halifax Nova Scotia. The series will kick off Thursday August 9th from Russia.

For Canada this series is crucial as this will be the final step in narrowing down a 22 man roster for the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championships, which will also take place in Russia. Canada is going into the series with 28 players, seven of which won bronze at the 2012 World Juniors. For many players it will be there last and best chance of making an impression on the coaching staff. Let's take a look at the key players for team Canada.

Canada
Mark Scheifele
The Winnipeg Jets first round pick from 2011 will be looking for a big performance in this years challenge. He almost made the Jets roster full time last season, but he was sent down at the end of his 7 games. Scheifele participated int he 2012 World Junior championship but didn't really stand out. Not only will he be looking to make an impression on team Canada he'll also be hoping to make the leap to the NHL next season.

Ryan Strome
Strome was the 5th overall pick in the 2011 draft and was a member of the bronze winning junior team from last year. He'll be expected to be one of the leaders in the challenge against Russia.

Jonathan Huberdeau
Huberdeau was the third overall pick in the 2011 draft and was apart of the junior team that won bronze and will be among the core players expected to lead the way against Russia.

Tom Wilson
Wilson is the lone forward from the 2012 NHL Entry draft that will be representing Canada in the challenge. The Washington Capitals selected him 16th overall. Wilson will be expected to bring grit to the roster.

Defence
Ryan Murray 
Murray has to be one of the most anxious players to get back on the ice and prove to the coaching staff that he belongs at the 2013 World Junior Championship. During last years junior championship the coaching staff asked Murray to change his game slightly, he panicked and went overboard and became to defensive minded. As a result he had a miserable tournament including deflecting two goals into his own net and wiping out his own goaltender. Murray is ready to get back to his game during the Russia challenge and prove he belongs.

Dougie Hamilton

Possibly the best defenceman Canada has going into this challenge. The Boston Bruins drafted him 9th overall in 2011 and he could become the first defenceman from that draft to break into the NHL next season. He's had three phenomenal years in the OHL with the Niagara Ice Dogs where he racked up 146 points. He also won the OHL's most outstanding defenceman award last season for his play with the Ice Dogs. Hamilton is one of seven returning from the 2012 bronze medal winning junior team. He'll be relied on heavily to lead the blue line.

Cody Ceci Griffin Reinhart
Ceci and Reinhart were both first round draft picks from the 2012 Draft. Both will be looking to have impressive debuts against Russia.

Goalies

Malcolm Subban and Laurent Brossoit
Canada has yet to announce who their starting goaltender for the tournament will be, but the battle is between Subban and Brossoit. Canada may split the games evenly at two each but if one goalie were to get the edge it will likely be Subban.

Not Easy To Call It Quits

The toughest thing for a hockey player to do is hang up the skates and walk away from the game they love. It is becoming more and more frequent to see a player sticking around into their late 30's or early 40's. The scary thing is with the education about health, fitness and nutrition players today have we may see players playing into their 50's in the future. If players are able to keep their bodies in top shape, why stop?

On Tuesday it was announced long time Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson would be returning for at least one more season. There was talk that last season would be Alfredsson's last year in the NHL, but he's decided he's ready for one more.

"I've had the motivation of playing from the beginning" ~ Daniel Alfredsson

Alfredsson said he needed to "Test out his body" to see if it could withstand the rigours of training for the NHL. He had back surgery last year to fix his back pain, so he needed to see where he stood after the surgery.

"It was my body that had to make the decision more than anything. If I have my strength I know I can play and contribute." ~Daniel Alfredsson

Alfredsson is returning for his 17th NHL season. Remarkably he has played all 17 seasons with the same team, never jumping ship and staying loyal to end. He has been the captain of the Senators since 1999 and has been with the team through the ups and downs.

He holds team records in goals (416), assists (666) and points (1,082). But his value to the Senators goes well beyond the scoreboard. He helped mentor Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson and played a huge part in developing Jason Spezza's game. He's been in the league so long he's experienced almost everything, so he's able to give advice and leadership to younger players.

Alfredsson joins the elite group of players to continue playing in their 40's. (He will be 40 in December). Other players in the same category include Teemu Selanne, Jaromir Jagr and Martin Brodeur.

Who inspired players to play for so long? Obviously there have been many trend setter who have played into their "later years", Gretzky played until he was 38 or how about Chris Chelios who played until he was 48! But I believe the real trend setter was Gary Roberts who played until he was 43. Roberts initially retired at age 30 but returned the following season to play 12 more seasons. How did he do it? By taking care of his body. He ate the proper foods, trained hard and most importantly listened to his body when it cried "uncle". Roberts knew when give his body a rest and when to push it to it's limits. Through his 22 seasons he single handily changed the way players think about the game. Why not play till your 40? If you have the proper resources why not take proper care of your body?
While Roberts is not playing in the NHL anymore he is still training and eating the proper way. A major factor in performance is food, if you eat the right stuff you're good to go.

In honour of Alfredsson coming back for another season, I've compiled a list of three reasons why it's so difficult for players to walk away from the game.

1. Money
When the players stop playing they stop making millions of dollars every year. While it's nice and dandy for players to sign a 10 year deal in which they make $10 million each year, once those 10 years are up and they stop playing that comfy $10 million stops rolling in. While it may be tough to think of someone blowing $100 million, it's a reality for a lot of NHL players. During their careers they spend money on big houses, fancy cars and all the latest gadgets and are able to do so because they're getting more money next season. But once the money stops coming in it becomes more and more difficult to stop spending the money even though it's not being replenished.

Hockey players usually don't have a high level of education. Some players enter the NHL right out of high school, while others do a year or two of college. What job would they be able to get after their hockey careers? Whatever job they get it wont pay nearly as well as the NHL.

2. "The Boys"
I know that sounds like a silly saying, but it's a very common saying in junior and minor hockey. The players always talk about hanging out with "the boys" or how they'd do anything for "the boys". It's no different in the NHL. The players are even closer, they travel together, work together, fight for each other and many even live together. On hockey team everyone has their tight nit group of "boys" they hang out with on road trips and even on off days. It becomes a life style, these guys are your best friends and often times the people you go to when you need help.

While many of the players may be married and some even have kids, hanging with their families is much different than hanging with "the boys". Believe me when I say this: There is nothing better than hanging out with your teammates.

When a player steps away from the game, they lose that connection with their teammates and friends. Sure they still text each other and come to the odd game. But they no longer hang out with them on road trips and you're not battling with them to win anymore. You become alienated from the only world you've ever known and it's a very tough adjustment.

3. Better nutrition and training
In the older days of hockey, the players used to drink and smoke after games. Heck some even did it between periods. The players also didn't train nearly as hard as today's players. While todays players still drink more and more of them are becoming aware of the proper nutrition needed to allow their bodies to compete at the top level. Players that consistently drink and smoke just won't cut it in today's NHL. The game moves so fast that you have to be in the best shape or you're a step behind.

Due to the fact players are learning how to properly train and take care of their bodies, they're finding they're able to play longer in their careers. When you eat and train properly you avoid the little injuries that slow players down. With people like Roberts offer training and nutrition programs, nutrition has become just as much part of the game as training or skating.

The players know, take care of your body and you can play at your best for as long as you want.

Yes today's players (or should I say yesterday's) are making their careers last a lot longer. If you can take care of your body you can get another pay check so why not? But with the awareness and knowledge around preserving your body right now, we could see players playing well into their 50's in the future.

What do you think, do you like seeing players play into their 40's?

Not Easy To Call It Quits

The toughest thing for a hockey player to do is hang up the skates and walk away from the game they love. It is becoming more and more frequent to see a player sticking around into their late 30's or early 40's. The scary thing is with the education about health, fitness and nutrition players today have we may see players playing into their 50's in the future. If players are able to keep their bodies in top shape, why stop?

On Tuesday it was announced long time Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson would be returning for at least one more season. There was talk that last season would be Alfredsson's last year in the NHL, but he's decided he's ready for one more.

"I've had the motivation of playing from the beginning" ~ Daniel Alfredsson

Alfredsson said he needed to "Test out his body" to see if it could withstand the rigours of training for the NHL. He had back surgery last year to fix his back pain, so he needed to see where he stood after the surgery.

"It was my body that had to make the decision more than anything. If I have my strength I know I can play and contribute." ~Daniel Alfredsson

Alfredsson is returning for his 17th NHL season. Remarkably he has played all 17 seasons with the same team, never jumping ship and staying loyal to end. He has been the captain of the Senators since 1999 and has been with the team through the ups and downs.

He holds team records in goals (416), assists (666) and points (1,082). But his value to the Senators goes well beyond the scoreboard. He helped mentor Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson and played a huge part in developing Jason Spezza's game. He's been in the league so long he's experienced almost everything, so he's able to give advice and leadership to younger players.

Alfredsson joins the elite group of players to continue playing in their 40's. (He will be 40 in December). Other players in the same category include Teemu Selanne, Jaromir Jagr and Martin Brodeur.

Who inspired players to play for so long? Obviously there have been many trend setter who have played into their "later years", Gretzky played until he was 38 or how about Chris Chelios who played until he was 48! But I believe the real trend setter was Gary Roberts who played until he was 43. Roberts initially retired at age 30 but returned the following season to play 12 more seasons. How did he do it? By taking care of his body. He ate the proper foods, trained hard and most importantly listened to his body when it cried "uncle". Roberts knew when give his body a rest and when to push it to it's limits. Through his 22 seasons he single handily changed the way players think about the game. Why not play till your 40? If you have the proper resources why not take proper care of your body?
While Roberts is not playing in the NHL anymore he is still training and eating the proper way. A major factor in performance is food, if you eat the right stuff you're good to go.

In honour of Alfredsson coming back for another season, I've compiled a list of three reasons why it's so difficult for players to walk away from the game.

1. Money
When the players stop playing they stop making millions of dollars every year. While it's nice and dandy for players to sign a 10 year deal in which they make $10 million each year, once those 10 years are up and they stop playing that comfy $10 million stops rolling in. While it may be tough to think of someone blowing $100 million, it's a reality for a lot of NHL players. During their careers they spend money on big houses, fancy cars and all the latest gadgets and are able to do so because they're getting more money next season. But once the money stops coming in it becomes more and more difficult to stop spending the money even though it's not being replenished.

Hockey players usually don't have a high level of education. Some players enter the NHL right out of high school, while others do a year or two of college. What job would they be able to get after their hockey careers? Whatever job they get it wont pay nearly as well as the NHL.

2. "The Boys"
I know that sounds like a silly saying, but it's a very common saying in junior and minor hockey. The players always talk about hanging out with "the boys" or how they'd do anything for "the boys". It's no different in the NHL. The players are even closer, they travel together, work together, fight for each other and many even live together. On hockey team everyone has their tight nit group of "boys" they hang out with on road trips and even on off days. It becomes a life style, these guys are your best friends and often times the people you go to when you need help.

While many of the players may be married and some even have kids, hanging with their families is much different than hanging with "the boys". Believe me when I say this: There is nothing better than hanging out with your teammates.

When a player steps away from the game, they lose that connection with their teammates and friends. Sure they still text each other and come to the odd game. But they no longer hang out with them on road trips and you're not battling with them to win anymore. You become alienated from the only world you've ever known and it's a very tough adjustment.

3. Better nutrition and training
In the older days of hockey, the players used to drink and smoke after games. Heck some even did it between periods. The players also didn't train nearly as hard as today's players. While todays players still drink more and more of them are becoming aware of the proper nutrition needed to allow their bodies to compete at the top level. Players that consistently drink and smoke just won't cut it in today's NHL. The game moves so fast that you have to be in the best shape or you're a step behind.

Due to the fact players are learning how to properly train and take care of their bodies, they're finding they're able to play longer in their careers. When you eat and train properly you avoid the little injuries that slow players down. With people like Roberts offer training and nutrition programs, nutrition has become just as much part of the game as training or skating.

The players know, take care of your body and you can play at your best for as long as you want.

Yes today's players (or should I say yesterday's) are making their careers last a lot longer. If you can take care of your body you can get another pay check so why not? But with the awareness and knowledge around preserving your body right now, we could see players playing well into their 50's in the future.

What do you think, do you like seeing players play into their 40's?